COLUMBIA, Mo. — Thanks to an outpouring of support from mid-Missouri residents and beyond, the 2009 Children’s Miracle Network “Miracle for Kids” radiothon raised a record $225,627 in support of Children’s Hospital. Every dollar contributed stays locally to support the health care needs of patients in mid-Missouri.

This year’s total surpassed last year’s previous radiothon fundraising record of $222,000.

Radiothon check presentation: From left, Timothy Fete, M.D., T.J., Jim Ross, chief executive officer of MU Health Care, and John Zimmer, co-owner of Zimmer Radio Group

“We are so grateful for every donor who supports MU’s Children’s Hospital,” said Timothy Fete, M.D., medical director of Children’s Hospital, chair of the MU School of Medicine’s Department of Child Health and Children’s Miracle Network Professor in Pediatrics. “The radiothon provides a great opportunity to spotlight the life-saving work our Children’s Hospital staff delivers. It’s a chance for us to show our community how everyone’s making miracles happen at Children’s Hospital’s every day.”

The Children’s Miracle Network radiothon, sponsored by Zimmer Radio Group and the Missouri Credit Union, aired Wednesday, Sept. 30 through Friday, Oct. 2 on four local radio stations, 93.9-FM The Eagle, 94.3-FM KAT Country, 99.3-FM Clear 99 and 106.9-FM Y107. During the event, former and current patients, along with doctors, nurses and staff from Children’s Hospital, shared their experiences on the radio.

Children’s Hospital is the largest and most comprehensive pediatric health care center in mid-Missouri. Housed at University Hospital and Columbia Regional Hospital, the 115-bed hospital is the only facility in mid-Missouri offering comprehensive, specialized children’s services such as trauma care, neonatal transport, child life therapy, a pediatric intensive care unit and a pediatric hematology and oncology outpatient unit.